The Hawaiʻi Music Teachers Association is proud to announce pianist Joanna Zane Fan as the 2024 HMTA Teacher of the Year for her outstanding contributions to Hawaiʻi’s music and piano community as an educator and former HMTA President (2002-2004). A highly respected, beloved, and distinguished mentor who has taught over multiple decades, she continues to inspire and nurture Honolulu’s next generation of classical pianists. Her enthusiastic and devoted contributions to Hawaiʻi’s music and piano community are very extraordinary and admirable.

We want to thank our judges Shakeh Ghoukasian (Violinist, Las Vegas Philharmonic, The String Connection), Dr. Hye Young Kim (Pianist, Chapman University), and Vicky Wang (Cellist, University of the Pacific, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, C’est Bon Chamber Music Academy) for their time and expertise.

BIOGRAPHY

Born in Shanghai, China, pianist Joanna Zane Fan leads a remarkable and highly accomplished musical career that spans over seven decades. In Shanghai, Mrs. Fan studied piano at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and learned from celebrated European pianists of German, Italian, Russian, and French background, one of whom was a pupil of Alfred Cortot, and another who was a prodigy of Béla Bartók. In addition to her education in Shanghai, Mrs. Fan studied piano at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa as a student of Barbara B. Smith, a former piano professor who founded the university’s ethnomusicology program. In Santa Barbara, California, Mrs. Fan studied under Emanuel Bay, Jascha Heifetz’s collaborative pianist. Mrs. Fan enjoyed a successful concert career and has been described as a sensitive and dynamic performer. She taught piano at ʻIolani School for many years, was president of the Hawaiʻi Music Teachers Association from 2002-2004, and continues to teach a thriving studio of private students.

One of Hawaiʻi’s most cherished, respected, dedicated, and renowned piano teachers, Mrs. Fan has inspired thousands of children and adults to love music. Numerous students of her’s have been awarded prizes in local, national, and international competitions including the MTNA national competitions. In 2020, two of her students became the first students from Hawaiʻi to receive first prize in the national division of MTNA’s Piano Duet competition. Many of Mrs. Fan’s students have had other successful musical experiences ranging from performances on NPR’s From the Top, solo appearances with orchestras, performances at Carnegie Hall, and admission to top music programs in the United States. Mrs. Fan encourages her students to play with the heart and seeks to foster a lifelong enjoyment of music. She finds her greatest achievement to be the ability to give the gift of music in the lives of her students, her students’ children, and her granddaughter, Keeley.

Q and A with Joanna Zane Fan:

What was your initial reaction to learning you are Teacher of the Year? I was very surprised to hear this news. There are many fantastic teachers throughout the state, and I am very grateful and honored to have been recognized as the 2024 HMTA Teacher of the Year.

As a highly respected piano teacher with decades of experience, please share some of your most meaningful and special memories as a teacher. My students have primarily been between the ages of 5 to 18 (or 19) years old. Many of these students stay with me for several years to more than a decade and I am always sad when my students move away after high school as I can no longer see them frequently…to see them continue to grow as musicians and wonderful people. But what is always incredibly touching and meaningful is when they visit me and let me know how much music is still a part of their life, how steady practicing and performing in front of people has given them the tools to handle challenging situations, and that some still play the piano occasionally. Many of my students have become successful in the workforce and help the community as doctors, researchers, and teachers, and they are now having their children learn piano, too!

*Post-recital group photo with Mrs. Fan and students.*

How have your past experiences guided you to become the teacher and mentor you are today? Life has many ups and downs and things don’t always go as planned. Being an effective teacher and mentor is understanding these aspects in life and having flexibility and understanding when teaching your students. Providing a stable learning environment with clear expectations is just as important as throwing out current expectations and making new ones. Lastly, I was given and blessed with a gift in music and it is important that I share that with others.

Who were some of your most inspirational mentors and how have they influenced your pianism and pedagogy? I had the honor and privilege of being a student of György Sándor, who was a prodigy of Béla Bartók. Sándor was an incredible pianist but also an inspirational teacher. He published several manuscripts and books describing techniques on how to improve piano playing (piano motion) which I use to teach my students. Playing piano isn’t just using your fingers but your whole body. You shouldn’t be fighting with the piano or gravity but using it to express your music. I also continue to include many of Bartók’s music in my students’ repertoire.

How do you develop and cultivate a student’s individual, musical artistry? Each student learns a bit differently from each other and it’s important to figure out what motivates them in learning music. Some like fast and loud pieces with a lot of chords, while others prefer more melodic dancing styles. Once I know the styles they enjoy playing, I try to give them a variety of works for them to choose from so they have ownership of learning them. Also, hidden in many pieces are aspects that help them improve on their technique, expression, overall musicianship, and things they don’t usually want to practice.

Many of your students have had successful musical careers and experiences, notably within the realm of competitions. How do you develop and nurture a love of music and motivation to succeed in your students? When I have my students compete, it isn’t to compete with others but to set a goal for them to achieve and improve from past performances. When you perform on stage in front of peers, judges, and family, it builds self-confidence and self-motivation. I also try to give them repertoire they would love to play and perform. Performing in front of people, whether it is for a recital or competition, can be incredibly stressful, but once they are able to do it, I hope they realize all the things they are able to achieve with hard work and practice. I try to show them immediately after every performance and competition how proud I am of their achievements. I teach from my heart and hope my students see that.

If you could travel back in time, what teaching advice would you give to your younger self when you were a new teacher? I realized that starting off heavily on music theory turns younger students off almost immediately! They need to learn theory in smaller portions and to apply these techniques by playing music. Another piece of advice is to have patience with yourself. Teaching is a hard occupation that may not always be stable, especially when you need to deal with raising children. Enjoy your students but also your life’s moments!

*Jairus Rhoades, first place winner of the 2018 Steinway Junior Piano Competition in Honolulu.*

“As a distinguished and dedicated educator, Joanna has profoundly influenced the lives of countless students throughout her remarkable career. Beyond the piano studio, she actively contributes to the local musical community as an HMTA past-president, and regularly participates in masterclasses with students. Her legacy will undoubtedly continue to resonate through the achievements of her students and the respect of her peers. Joanna’s passion, dedication, and exceptional skill made her a truly deserving candidate for the Music Teacher of the Year award. Honoring her with this award is a fitting tribute to her extraordinary career and lasting impact on our community. Her commitment to excellence in music education is evident in the continued success of her students at the local, national and international level for decades. Her students won MTNA’s Piano Duet National Competition First Prize a few years ago, a first for the State of Hawaiʻi. In recent years, her star student Jairus Rhoades was a multi-time winner of the Aloha International Piano Competition and Steinway competition, among many others. I’m sure there were many others to span over Joanna’s many decades of teaching excellence. Joanna will go above and beyond for her students, their families. She is a giver. She will be so engrossed and passionate about a topic/lesson/conversation, she will lose track of time. She gives it her all, always.”

— Colleague

“Joanna is an inspiration and mentor to many. She is involved in the HMTA, MTNA, and numerous, local Chinese organizations. Her greatest accomplishment is seeing her students go on to compete on the national and international level. Joanna is humble, encouraging, and makes sure her students will have piano in their lives forever. Her passion is seen when she teaches her students. Joanna has been teaching professionally since she was 15. My aunt is 82 and still plays the piano; her teacher was Joanna. That is a testament to her abilities to have her students love piano for life. Joanna has been around for a very long time and she deserves to be recognized for her many, many years of accomplishments and commitment to music. There is no one piano teacher like Mrs. Fan. She is very unique in her own way and knows how to share her passion with her students. The foundational skills she teaches her students will remain with them for their entire adult life.”

— Student

“She changed the course of my life with her teaching. She is very involved with several music communities in Hawaiʻi, such as Morning Music Club, Aloha International Piano Festival, MTNA, and HMTA. Her involvement and work gives so many opportunities to her students. She brought dozens of students to MTNA National titles, National Guild Association Top Five Winners, HMTA winners, etc. She never, ever gives up on a student. She will always be willing to teach. I am very fond of my HMTA memories, and I am so grateful to Mrs. Fan for giving me the opportunity to know HMTA, as well as competition and public performance, in music. Because of her, I am currently studying music in college, as are many of her former students.”

— Student

“Mrs. Fan has a lifelong dedication towards inspiring students to learn piano and work hard to do better in all aspects of life. Mrs. Fan's students are often successful, gracious individuals. She takes personal initiative towards helping students to reach for the stars. Mrs. Fan offers studio recitals at retirement homes, shopping centers, and other venues. When random people hear my children play piano, I am often asked "Who is your piano teacher?" She continually encourages her students to attend and support musical artists at live piano concerts offered by the Hawaiʻi Symphony and HMTA/MTNA. Mrs. Fan's students have won countless piano competition awards on the local, national, and international level. These student awards would not have been possible without Mrs. Fan. She has been a past-president of HMTA.

During the pandemic, Mrs. Fan never stopped teaching. She immediately transitioned to private lessons via FaceTime. Her students continued to participate in Guild examinations to maintain as "normal" a life as possible. She always made herself available remotely to students and families even during the COVID-19 lockdown. Mrs. Fan is amazing educator, who cares immensely for her students and families. She works tirelessly for all her students, from toddlers to young adults, to perform at their very best. She prepares students and families for countless piano performances, rigorous Guild examinations, and local, national, and international piano competitions. Mrs. Fan has taught our 2 children piano for almost 19 years and to passionately work hard in everything they do. Mrs. Fan creatively uses a musical education to inspire each individual student's creativity, academic excellence, and overall success in life.”

— Studio Parent

“Joanna has had a lifetime of commitment to the piano, both as a concert pianist and teacher (with over five decades of teaching). Her passion and dedication are unwavering and incredibly admirable. She never ceases to think about her student’s piano progress even outside of the studio environment. She literally lives and breathes piano. More specifically, having had three of my children taught by Joanna Fan, I can certainly attest to her ability to bring out the best in each piece of music my children plays; it’s rather magical. This isn’t just my own words, this recognition is exemplified by the numerous HMTA and MTNA winners Joanna Fan has created over the decades including my children. Joanna Fan has, over the years, been involved in numerous community activities through her involvement as the HMTA president by leading innumerable recitals of all types, including ones dedicated to retirement homes, hospitals, and other charitable organizations.

Joanna Fan graduated from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and studied under some of the most renowned European piano masters. She became a concert pianist following her training and subsequently became a piano teacher following her professional career. Many of her students have won notable state and national competitions including MTNA and Steinway. Some of her students have pursued a degree, either minoring or majoring in piano/music at some of the most prestigious schools in the U.S. Other than the factors mentioned above, I think what makes her stand out is her persistent search to look for ways to teach and improve her student’s music. She’s able to do so not only through her musical ability, but her constant search for ways to to enhance her student’s music by searching for notable CDs and audio tapes, YouTube (and other streams), or her incredible international collection of renowned music books that can only be considered rare collectibles. It is quite inspiring to see Joanna embrace all manners (including new technology) in the pursuit to better her student.

Aside from her pure commitment to the piano, Joanna Fan is like a mother or grandmother to many of her students, past and present. She follows her students’ lives even years beyond their student days. She is also well-connected with families of her students. It is quite common that one will find her at the homes of her students enjoying a meal during numerous occasions, including holidays. It is very sweet to find her expressing pride about her students, past and present, when engaged in conversation with her. Her students love her like family. When her students come from afar to visit Hawaiʻi, it’s commonplace that they’ll make some time for her..even students of decades past.”

— Studio Parent

2020 HMTA Member Feature: Joanna Zane Fan